Method for creating and maintaining page links

Abstract

A method establishes page links between pages on the Internet. Individual sites (collections of pages) include dedicated links pages that consolidate links to other sites. The links page associated with a given site (the first site) includes an "add link" button that, when selected, allows an owner of a second site to add a link to the links page. The new link can be used to establish a link from the links page to the second site. To ensure reciprocity, the method also includes prompting the owner of the second site for a link back to a page of the first site and later checking the second site for the link back.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of establishing a bidirectional link between a first site and a second site, wherein the first site is controlled by a first entity that maintains authority over the first site and that lacks authority over the second site, the method comprising: (a) outputting a page A of the first-site to a second entity that maintains authority over the second site and that lacks authority over the first site, wherein page A prompts the second entity to output first link information to initiate the bidirectional link between the first and second sites;   (b) receiving the first link information from the second entity;   (c) soliciting second link information from the second entity, the second link information indicative of a page B of the second site that will include third link information but that does not include the third link information; and   (d) after (c), verifying that page B includes the third link information.   
     
     
       2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: (e) after (b) and before (d), outputting the third link information.   
     
     
       3. The method of claim 1, wherein the soliciting of the second link information in response to the receiving of the first link information is automatic and does not require human intervention. 
     
     
       4. The method of claim 1, wherein (a), (b), (c) and (d) are performed by a server coupled to a network, and wherein the first link information received in (b) is received by the server from the network. 
     
     
       5. The method of claim 1, wherein (a), (b), (c) and (d) are performed by a first server, and wherein (c) also involves soliciting fourth link information, the method further comprising: after (c) and before (d), including the fourth link information on a page C, page C being resident on the first server.   
     
     
       6. The method of claim 5, wherein page C is a dedicated links page. 
     
     
       7. The method of claim 5, further comprising creating page C. 
     
     
       8. The method of claim 5, wherein page B is resident on a second server and wherein the fourth link information is indicative of a page resident on the second server. 
     
     
       9. The method of claim 1, wherein (a), (b), (c) and (d) are performed by a first server, and wherein the third link information is indicative of a third page C, the third page C being resident on a second server. 
     
     
       10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first link information received in (b) is output after (a) by a third server, page B being resident on the third server. 
     
     
       11. The method of claim 1, wherein a human activates a button on page A thereby causing the first link information to be output onto a network, the first link information output onto the network being received from the network in (b). 
     
     
       12. The method of claim 11, wherein (a), (b), (c) and (d) are performed by a first server, and wherein software is used to activate the button. 
     
     
       13. The method of claim 1, wherein (d) is automatic and does not require human intervention. 
     
     
       14. The method of claim 1, wherein the first link information is a universal resource locator. 
     
     
       15. The method of claim 1, wherein (c) also includes soliciting an e-mail address. 
     
     
       16. The method of claim 1, wherein page A comprises a first links page including a create page button; and wherein the second entity can create   a second links page by selecting the create page button.   
     
     
       17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first links page is a page of a first site and wherein the second links page is a page of a second site, a links page being a page that contains at least half of the links from the site of which the links page is a part to pages of other sites. 
     
     
       18. The method of claim 17, wherein the links from the site of which the links page is a part are disposed in a list. 
     
     
       19. The method of claim 16, wherein the first links page comprises a links field. 
     
     
       20. The method of claim 19, wherein the links field comprises a list of URLs. 
     
     
       21. The method of claim 16, wherein the first links page comprises a visual message, and wherein at least 50 percent of the visual message consists of a links field. 
     
     
       22. The method of claim 16, wherein (b) further comprises: 1) receiving a form after the selecting of the create page button, and 2) after the receiving of the form, supplying a password that will allow editing of the second links page. 
     
     
       23. The method of claim 16, wherein (b) further comprises: 1) receiving a form after the selecting of the create page button, and 2) after the receiving of the form, supplying a layout for the second links page. 
     
     
       24. The method of claim 16, wherein the selecting initiates an outputting of a universal resource locator onto an internet. 
     
     
       25. The method of claim 1, further comprising repeating (d) periodically. 
     
     
       26. The method of claim 1, wherein (c) also involves soliciting fourth link information and including the fourth link information on a page C. 
     
     
       27. A method of verifying a bidirectional link between first and second sites, the bidirectional link including first link information directing the first site to the second site and second link information directing the second site to the first site, the method comprising: (a) outputting the first link information;   (b) determining whether the first link information corresponds to an existing resource on the second site;   (c) outputting third link information indicative of a page B of the second site that is indicated to include the second link information directing the second site to the first site; and   (d) verifying that page B includes the second link information, (a) through (d) being performed automatically without human intervention.   
     
     
       28. The method of claim 27, wherein (a) through (d) are performed not more than once in a 24 hour period for the same first, second and third link information. 
     
     
       29. The method of claim 27, wherein the first link information is accessed from a server, the method further comprising: (e) deleting the first link information from the server if the first link information is determined not to correspond to an existing resource in (b).   
     
     
       30. The method of claim 27, wherein the first link information is accessed from a server, the method further comprising: (e) deleting the first link information from the server if page B does not include the second link information.